Our Lady of the Lakes in Collings Lakes, formerly part of the St. Mary's Malaga, St. Rose of Lima Newfield, and Queen of Angels Parish (St. Michael's Minotola & Our Lady of Victories Landisville) merger/closure group was just permitted to remain stand-alone. Why? We have received no answer to this question. From their Nov. 15th bulletin:

I have received word from the diocesan Vicar General
that the bishop has approved the Core Team proposal that
our parish would remain a stand alone parish. But we are
encouraged to share resources and programs with the
merging parishes of Buena, Newfield, and Malaga.
This is great news for our Parish because we can continue
as usual serving the needs of the Collings Lakes area.
This is a good news 'short term' situation considering the
underlying problem of a priest shortage in our Diocese.
As more priests retire the present active priests will be
called on to do more. All of us must be ready for the future
when there may not be a priest in residence here. In the
meantime lets be a vibrant sustainable community.
To celebrate this good news we will have a wine and
cheese, coffee and cake celebration in our hall after the
Saturday evening Mass next week. Invite your friends and
family to the 5pm Mass which will have our new
'Lures of the Lakes' choir singing. Then socialize,
celebrate, and relax with your friends and neighbors.

What a slap in the face to the "process" and to all of the other churches in this diocese that would also like to remain stand-alone. "Core team" arm twisting is, apparently, part of the open and honest "process," but how such decisions are made remains a mystery to all of us. Political expedience, string-pulling, and personality conflict at high levels seem to be the order of the day. In truth, we the Catholic faithful have no real input at all, though we are required to speak the Truth by virtue of our baptism and confirmation.

Most of St. Mary's founders were immigrants from Europe, and virtually all of their native villages had a patron saint. On that saint's feast day, the pastor celebrated a High Mass, and his parishioners organized a parade to honor "their" saint. Afterward, a public gathering took place featuring music, games, food, and fireworks.

Because St. Mary's of Malaga was named for the Blessed Mother, the Feast of the Assumption became--and has been--the parish's main celebratory event since the church's beginning in 1922. Back then, Mr. Giovanni Di Matteo, one of the parish's founders, was the main organizer of this mid-August feast. These celebrations replicated, in Malaga, the fondly remembered festivals of the Old World.

Parishioners blessed with long years and clear memories can still recall the sight of the statue of the Blessed Mother--festooned with ribbons on which worshipers had pinned dollar bills--being hoisted onto the shoulders of young men for the parade after the High Mass on Sunday morning. They can recall the sound of the Red, White, and Blue Band as it marched behind the statue westward on Dutch Mill Road almost as far as Malaga Lake.


As the young men carrying the statue of the Blessed Mother approached the Malaga Post Office--then situated on the northwest corner of what is now Old Dutch Mill Road and Old Delsea Drive--Mr. Corval Richman, husband of Post Mistress Pearl Richman, descended the post office steps with a crisp dollar bill in his hand (a significant amount then) and pinned it on the statue. This gesture by a non-Catholic was an expression of the regard he had for the faith of his foreign born Catholic neighbors. (Quite a few non-Catholic donors are listed on the Founder's Roll that has hung on the rear wall of the church for the past 87 years.)


After Mr. Richman's gracious gesture, the parade turned left and proceded onto Delsea Drive as far south as the Simms residence or the Bova farm or the Cesare farm (traffic was no problem then) before returning.


As the paraders approached the church grounds, they were greeted by the enticing aroma of zeppole (cruller-like fried dough) and other delicacies being readied for the afternoon and evening festivities.


Volunteer barkers urged people to "step right up" and test their strength and skill at knocking over bogus milk bottles with a baseball. The white bottles, made of wood with metal interiors to impart stability, were arranged in a pyramid 30 feet behind a counter. "Three balls for a nickel," the barker cried, "and one of these beautiful prizes is yours!" (The prizes were mainly stuffed animals.)

Young Raynard Infante from New York City, a relative of several area families, impressed local people with his Neapolitan love songs, which he sang from the bandstand that once occupied the area where St. Mary's outdoor shrine now stands. Another favorite amateur singer was Mr. Giuseppe Alvino, one of the church's founders, who rendered "O Sole Mio" with a fervor old-timers still talk about.

After a respite from the mid-day parade, members of the Red, White, and Blue Band took their places on the bandstand and entertained the crowd during the afternoon and evening. The music consisted of popular melodies, including ragtime and patriotic songs, mostly Sousa marches. The band's electrifying "Stars and Stripes Forever" preluded the festival's finale: fireworks.

As band members put their instruments away, firework technicians sent up aerial bombs that exploded high above in a cascade of color. This lured the crowd to the southern edge of the church grounds, where the rectory now stands. From that point, one could see technicians igniting the fireworks mounted on wooden structures on the knoll where the Malaga firehouse is today. Ground-level fireworks, including spinning wheels and "Niagra Falls," alternated with aerial displays depicting patriotic themes such as the Statue of Liberty, the Mayflower, and the American flag.

The fireworks (and the two-day festival) ended at about eleven o'clock Sunday night with detonation of an ear-splitting battery of explosives buried two feet below the ground--enough to destroy a small army. With the acrid smell of explosives still hanging over the church grounds, those who came in their primitive farm trucks and tin lizzies honked their horns in appreciation while others tramped home humming the songs the Red, White and Blue Band had played.

Just one month ago I was privileged to receive a letter from Bob Nardelli. You know Bob. He's the "Chairman and CEO of Chrysler LLC." There's good news from his end, it turns out. He tells me he's "very pleased to announce that Chrysler LLC has signed an agreement in principle to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat to create a vibrant new car company." Wow! Vibrant! I know all about that now. Vibrant is good. Peppy. Positive. A breath of fresh air. Pulsating growth. Good joojoos. It should be interesting to see what the new Fryslers look like.

I thought, though, that the letter might be of use to the Diocese in trying to shill their merger packages. So I took it upon myself to revise where necessary. I guess Fryslers may be something like "Catholic family faith communities," now that we're moving away from the term "church." Church is so...churchy. So uncool.

For the past couple years we have worked tirelessly to reach agreement with key parties on concessions that would allow the Diocese to complete its alliances and closures and proceed with its plans without any need for actual transparency. Despite substantial progress on many fronts, largely due to lay complacency and a willingness to believe those in positions of authority, our own continual spinning and bending of information, and the use of heavies, outright political propaganda, and the like, we have been able to receive concessions. As a result, to facilitate these alliances and create new merged entities we will be proceeding with what is typically referred to as "structured" consolidation and closure.

In doing this, we have submitted motions under Section 1234567890ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ in Subsection EENYMEENYMINYMO under Canon Law #1UKMA in order to carry out this plan. With or without the approval or consensus of Catholics within the Diocese, and with or without the guidance of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the scheduled mergers, closures, and consolidations are expected to be completed in an undisclosed time period.

Rest assured that there will not be a moment's interruption in our work to meet the needs of all Catholics in the Church of South Jersey. The new entities will seamlessly transition so as to accommodate all. The new "faith communities," "parish families," and the like--as we will henceforth be calling them--will continue to produce and support quality spirituality over the long term, under the "Catholic," "Christian," "Church of South Jersey," and several other brands.

Some may be wondering if remaining or becoming a Catholic at this time, amidst all this turmoil and confusion, is a wise decision. Beginning today, the Diocese of Camden can look forward to the future with great optimism. In most cases your new local "faith family community" will have programs you will find attractive, including various varieties of coffee products, scones, and in some cases trendy pop spiritual products such as labyrinth walking workshops, Deepak Chopra CDs available to borrow, or even "A Course in Miracles." All products and programs will be well-priced and attractively packaged. Your local worship leader or lay minster would welcome the opportunity to speak with you about today's products--not that old, stodgy and medieval Catholicism--but spiritual products for the modern Catholic, which have the highest quality rankings in the history of our Church.

We are profoundly grateful for the support of the gazillions of Catholics in South Jersey who support our program. We take enormous pride in the contributions we have made to the religion industry, are honored by the trust you have placed with us for the past several years of the Galante Administration. We look forward to continuing to serve you for many years to come.

Again, I thank you for your support and look forward to serving you with outstanding Catholic spiritual products and services from a strong, new, and most importantly a significantly shinier Diocese of Camden. We aim to make vibrancy something you can sink your teeth into! To show our appreciation, we would like to extend the attached coupon incentive that will admit you and any three family members, free of charge, into any of our newly merged "parish community" entities, to any Sunday "liturgical celebration" taking place in the coming 24 months. (Offer expires July 2011.)

Update: Just yesterday Jimmy, Bob's bud, sent me a letter. You'll be happy to know that "Chrysler LLC has successfully emerged from our restructuring as a vibrant new car company called Chrysler Group LLC." It's reassuring to know that the "Church of South Jersey" is in such good company. Who knew that "vibrancy" was something Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was shooting for when He established the Church upon earth? I feel shiner already. 

This afternoon we had a special Traditional Latin [low] Mass for the Holy Name Society, with Fr. Romanowski, pastor emeritus, as celebrant. It was beautiful. Following the mass, we had a little potluck party downstairs to celebrate. We also took the opportunity to have a little mini-celebration of Fr. Romanowski's 45 years in the priesthood. Considering that it was not especially well advertised (I myself only found out about it this afternoon) the turnout was pretty good. Some people even came from outside the diocese. Here are some pictures for you!


Created with flickr slideshow.

Since the Bishop's reconfiguration announcement, I have often wondered why so few parishes have really fought against their pending mergers. I think at least part of the reason is because people do not really understand the degree of harm these mergers will have on the faith of many parishioners. At St. Mary's, we know from our own experience and that contributes, at least in part, to the reason we will never stop fighting to keep our parish open.

St. Mary's history has not always been a pretty one, but it's important to share because it illustrates the magnitude of the impact of this type of "reconfiguration" on the salvation of souls. The information below is not intended as a criticism of the former pastors of St. Mary's, but simply to illustrate this point.

From its establishment as a mission in 1922 until it became a parish in 1961, St. Mary's did not have a resident pastor. A rectory was built when the parish was established and from that point on we have had a resident pastor.

One of our first resident pastors was a very personable German priest, who the parishioners loved very much. The only criticism that I've ever heard about him was that he drank a lot, and this did become a big problem. He installed a full bar in the basement of the rectory and, on weekends, he would go down to the docks in Camden or Philadelphia and bring groups of German sailors back to the rectory for rowdy parties. A friend of mine (and distant cousin) who grew up next door to the church remembers waking up on Saturday mornings to the sight of these sailors passed out on her front lawn. Large sums of money were taken from the St. Mary's bank account to pay for the alcohol and parties. At one point, one of the trustees took the checkbook from the pastor, but he apparently had another checkbook hidden somewhere and continued to spend the parish's money on alcohol.

I've heard stories of him being so drunk at parish functions that he could not even walk, but would have to crawl around on his hands and knees. The final straw, from what I'm told (this all happened before I was born), was when he was so drunk during some important, solemn Mass that he fell over backwards while saying Mass. At that point, a few parishioners complained to the Bishop.
 
The Bishop removed this German priest, and sent in an Irish priest to take his place as pastor. This new priest quickly alienated the entire parish. He made remarks from the pulpit that he "wasn't used to dealing with ignorant farmers," and that he was too educated to associate with the people of Malaga, because only two of St. Mary's parishioners had college degrees at that time.
 
He immediately disbanded all parish organizations, which included a very active St. Theresa's Society, Holy Name Society, and Knights of Columbus. In their place he allowed only the Legion of Mary (an organization of Irish origin). He seemed to dislike Italians, which would have included most St. Mary's parishioners at the time, and all things Italian. He began giving away (or at least trying to give away) the religious items of the church (including the tabernacle), most of which had been donated by parishioners, and replacing them with used items from inner-city Irish churches.
 
People believed he had been sent to St. Mary's by the Chancery as a punishment for having complained about the previous pastor, which everyone thoroughly regretted having done at that point. Everything came to a head when the reforms of Vatican II were implemented and the altar was relocated. This pastor wanted to cut a foot off the width of the marble altar, which the St. Theresa Society had purchased from Italy for more than $5,000 just a few years earlier, so that it would be easier for him to move around behind it. Parishioners sought help from the Bishop, but were told that they were attacking the church and that they were anti-Catholic, etc.  (Basically, the same lines we are hearing today.) Receiving no help from the Bishop and unable to reason with the pastor, one of the women from the St. Theresa Society finally just made the pastor an offer he couldn't refuse.
 
From that point on, he generally backed off, but the damage was already largely done. Disillusioned and feeling betrayed by this pastor, some parishioners left the Catholic Church altogether. Many others remained Catholic, but just quit going to church. Most of these have still not returned - this type of wound does not heal quickly or easily. In fact, the Treasurer of the St. Theresa Society, after it was disbanded, waited for approximately twenty-five years (until this pastor finally retired) before turning the Society's funds over to the church.
 
During the course of those twenty-five or so years, this pastor actually became very fond of St. Mary's and its parishioners. When he finally retired, he bought a house just a few streets down from the church. I remember back in 1997 or 1998, several years after he had retired as pastor of St. Mary's and shortly before his death, this pastor came back to say a Mass, during which he apologized for "nearly destroying the parish." At the end of the Mass, he knelt in the middle of the doorway and everyone had to touch his head on the way out of church as a sign of forgiveness. It was kind of weird, but I think it was good that he at least understood and tried to make amends for the damage he had done to St. Mary's and its parishioners.
 
The shame of the situation is that this pastor had driven so many people from the Church in the process of trying to "improve" the parish and implement his "vision" of what the parish should be. Yet even the scandal of his alcoholic predecessor did not cause anywhere near the amount of harm that he did by trying to improve the parish. Ironically, he is considered to have been a great priest by many people (mostly outside of St. Mary's) for really developing the Legion of Mary within the Diocese of Camden. While I have a great deal of respect for the Legion of Mary, this positive work that he did could easily have been accomplished without doing so much damage to the parish of St. Mary's.

I feel the same way about the Bishop's plan today. Many things can be done to "improve" the vibrancy of parish life without destroying parishes. If people lost their faith (at least in the Catholic Church hierarchy, if not altogether) because of the betrayal and marginalization felt when their religious organizations were needlessly suppressed and their religious items, donated by parishioners, were needlessly discarded, how much more so will it be when the parish itself is suppressed and the church itself is needlessly sold off. The previous blog post is just one example of how the faith of parishioners is being affected already.

The worst part is, for parishes like St. Mary's, which have already suffered at the hands of the hierarchy, closing the parish and church will just be the final nail in the coffin for so many of those who already left. The last attachment they have to the Church will be taken from them. No choir, however beautifully they sing, and no ministry, however convenient or useful, will fill that hole. Bishop Galante doesn't have twenty-five years to realize the harm he is doing - he won't have the opportunity to kneel in the back of the churches and ask forgiveness.

Despite St. Mary's difficulties over the years, however, we have persevered. No matter the challenges presented by pastors, obstacles imposed by bishops past and present, or even lack of parishioners' material wealth, St. Mary's remains. In fact, our willingness to fight for our parish, for our Diocese, and for our Faith epitomizes the difference between a weak parish and a strong parish.

My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall encounter various trials, knowing that the trying of your faith worketh endurance (James 1:3).

It has been a blessing to be strengthened by these tests of faith over the years:

Every one shall help his neighbor, and shall say to his brother: Be of good courage. The coppersmith striking with the hammer encouraged him that forged at that time, saying: It is ready for soldering: and he strengthened it with nails, that it should not be moved....Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, and have not cast thee away. Fear not, for I am with thee: turn not aside, for I am thy God: I have strengthened thee, and have helped thee, and the right hand of my just one hath upheld thee. (Isais 41:6-10)

It is our belief that this most recent struggle is merely another chapter in the history of St. Mary's. In all of life's struggles we are blessed by God, and we offer our efforts to Christ Crucified, His Majesty, who is our Master. We certainly will not give up now. So we fight on!

The following email was sent to Save St. Mary's from Jo-Ann Zeilman, a St. Mary's Parishioner. Since it reflects the thoughts of so many parishioners at St. Mary's and throughout the Diocese, we wanted to share it:


It truly amazes me how the Bishop can replace a priest that so loves his church and community. Let's see - the new pastor has other churches he serves at, as well as a school. His plate is very full. And yet the Bishop still replaces a priest that does a very good job serving our parish.

A shortage of priests? How? When you take one priest away from a parish and replace him with a priest that already has two other churches and a high school to serve at? How can this be? I will tell you - he (the dear Bishop) does this out of spite. He is doing this to get back at everyone at St. Mary's. Can you believe this??

You know, I always looked up to the Catholic religion, but I can say that every day, more and more, I am truly losing faith. There is truly a great empty spot. My daughter, who just turned 9 on Saturday, asked me today in church, "Mommy, why is Father not allowed to be our priest anymore?" Does anyone really have the answer to explain this to her? I wonder if the Bishop can truly be honest and tell my daughter the real reason why he does what he does. My children look up to Father and have the greatest respect for him. I can honestly say bringing my girls to St. Mary's in the last 12 years has had a great impact on their lives. They learned a great deal about life at St. Mary's. They are good kids. It is hard to believe that a Bishop can try to shut down a parish and, on top of that, take away a priest that loves his parish, a man that gave his life to the priesthood and devoted his life fully to God.

I know in my heart that God would not want this to take place, but life has so many unanswered reasons why things take place. But you know, the Bishop has to live with the things he does. He may not feel it now, but in due time. I just want to say that Fr. Romanowski is a good man and he has been an asset and blessing to St. Mary's Church. He has made St. Mary's a wonderful church, one I am proud to be a part of. St. Mary's has so many wonderful things about it - it's a family church and when you start to have things change, it takes a great piece from your heart.

If, and I say "if," the parish closes, I must say, I think it will close my heart to the Catholic Church. Maybe I am wrong, but I sometimes think money is more important to the Camden Diocese than the people of the churches are. May God bless us all and I want to thank God for letting us have Fr. Romanowski for our priest at St. Mary's. We were so, so blessed with the grace of him serving at our parish.

The Example of the Holy Family


The Holy Family suffered during the painful trip to Bethlehem. They are the example to us of what it means to be a follower of Our Lord. Yes! Having the Lord of Lords within her Virginal Body enables the Pure Mother of God to sustain the perilous trip mandated by Caesar Augustus. We are sustained on our perilous journey of life by the Divine Son of God. Only with the ongoing assistance which is really his Grace enabling us to be one with Him are we able to fully enjoy the life on earth that leads to Heaven.

St. Joseph is such a model of faithful living. Despite his poverty he was able to fulfill his vocation as the foster father of the Christ Child. We can learn from his humble, holy obedience to God's will what it takes to traverse the journey that leads to eternal life with God.

God Created the Perfect Mother for His Human and Divine Son

Emmanuel means God is with us. When we appreciate His Presence in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we can fully see the blessings that come from our celebration of Christmas. God is with us giving us the Son of God in the body of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Faustina tells us of the incomparable beauty of Jesus' Mother. Jesus is dependent on human care just as later He will be subject to human cruelty.

We Celebrate the Coming of Emmanuel Every Day


Deepen your devotion to the Blessed Mother by the recitation of the Rosary. Allow those sublime mysteries to be in your hearts, souls, and spirits so that you can continue to conquer the wiles of the devil.


Worship God just as the shepherds did. They stopped everything because the Lord of Life, the Truth Himself, had come into the world. Similarly, we must recognize in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass the Truth, and this Truth illuminates everything in our lives. Yes! Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The innocent Babe who attracts us by His humanity becomes real to us in the Most Blessed Sacrament. That Reality enables all of us to live in His Grace, to attain holiness on earth, and ultimately to obtain salvation in eternity.

Praised Be Jesus Christ,
Now and Forever!
Father Jerome Charles Romanowski, Pastor

 

Bishop Galante has defined the Diocese's pastoral priorities as lifelong faith formation, compassionate outreach, liturgy, youth and young adult, and priestly vocations.  (Clearly, however, judging by the plans and actions taken, the overwhelming "priority" is the closure of churches in order to finance the implementation of a massive paid lay ministry program.)  Compare these "pastoral priorities" and the entire planning process with the following excerpt on pastoral priorities and pastoral renewal from The Priest - Pastor and Leader of the Parish Community, published by the Congregation for the Clergy in 2002:

"Novo Millennio inuente sets seven pastoral priorities: holiness, prayer, the Sunday celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Penance, the primacy of grace, and listening to and proclaiming the Word. These priorities became particularly clear from the experience of the Great Jubilee. Not only do they offer parish priests but, all priests engaged in the cura animarum, the content and substance of the pastoral questions on which they should carefully meditate. They also provide a synthesis of the spirit with which the renewal of pastoral work should be approached."

It goes on to explain further:

"A truly pastoral promotion of the holiness of our parish communities implies an authentic pedagogy on prayer, a renewed, persuasive and effective catechesis on the importance of the Sunday and daily celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist, on community and personal adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, on the frequent and individual practice of the Sacrament of Penance, on spiritual direction, on marian devotion, on the imitation of the Saints, as well as on a renewed apostolic commitment to live the daily duties of the community and of individuals, proper pastoral care of the family, and on a consistent political and social engagement.

This pastoral renewal will not be possible unless inspired, sustained and activated by priests imbued by this same spirit. "The faithful draw great encouragement from the example and witness of the priest. They can rediscover the parish as a 'school' of prayer in which encounter with Jesus Christ is not merely expressed in implorations for assistance but also in acts of thanksgiving, praise, adoration, contemplation, prayerful listening, ardour of affection, to the point of truly loving him". "It is fatal to forget that 'without Christ we can do nothing' (cf. Jn 15:5). It is prayer which roots us in this truth. It constantly reminds us of the primacy of Christ and, in union with him, the primacy of the interior life and of holiness. When this principle is not respected, is it any wonder that pastoral plans come to nothing and leave us with a disheartening sense of frustration? We then share the experience of the disciples in the Gospel story of the miraculous catch of fish: 'We have toiled all night and caught nothing' (Lk 5:5). This is the moment of faith, of prayer, of conversation with God, in order to open our hearts to the tide of grace and allow the word of Christ to pass through us in all its power: Duc in altum! ".

A good laity is scarcely possible without truly holy priests. Without them everything is dead - just as it is almost impossible to have a blossoming of vocations without Christian families which are domestic churches. It is therefore erroneous to emphasize the laity if this entails overlooking the ordained ministry. Such error ends by penalizing the laity and frustrating the entire mission of the Church.

The rediscovery in our communities of the universal call to holiness should be the basis for all pastoral planning and orient that same planning. The soul of every apostolate depends on divine intimacy, on placing nothing before the love of Christ, in seeking the greater glory of God in all things, in living the Christocentric dynamism of the marian "totus tuus". Training in holiness "places pastoral planning under the sign of holiness" and constitutes the primary pastoral challenge of contemporary times. In the holy Church, all of the faithful are called to holiness." (Emphasis added).

It seems Rome has already spoken on this issue, and pretty clearly at that.  So the current plan is doomed to failure.  What's worse is that by the time it fails, massive and irreparable harm will have been done to parishes and parishioners throughout the diocese.  Keep praying, writing letters, making phone calls, etc. - maybe that Apostolic Visitator will be sent soon!

(...belatedly. We are so behind in putting up the pieces Father has written, what with bully "ushers" and whatnot.)


Worldly Dangers

In the ritual the priest uses for the conferral of the Sacraments there is a rite for the exorcism of a person and the exorcism of a place. During this time of preparation for Halloween, which means or should mean the Eve of All Hallows, All Saints, we should avoid anything that would add on to the wrong celebration of that Feast of All Saints, which is followed by the Feast of All Souls for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.


Needless to say we don't want our children to have anything to do with any reference to the seeming positive help the devil gives to man. That is a sin in itself. We should have the children concentrate on something funny when they make their visits. They also should be instructed in the true meaning of All Hallows' Eve: that holiness is the only way to live.

Avoid the Onslaught of the Devil

When we are striving for holiness ourselves we see the dangers that are in the world and we take the necessary steps to avoid and conquer these temptations and teach our children how to avoid and conquer the assaults of the devil. Some people will say that to teach children about the devil will cause too much fear in them. Not if we teach them in the correct way by teaching what is an important part of our faith as Catholics. For example, the great prayer of St. Michael the Archangel should be taught to the children as soon as they can start to memorize.

Good Angels & Bad Angels

In the Book of Revelations (Apocalypse 12:17) we are shown the truth about the angels, including certain angels' rebellion against God. The obedient angels led by St. Michael cast the disobedient angels into hell, where they are permitted to tempt man in various ways.


The devil has mesmerized mankind into thinking that we don't need a strong spiritual life--that we need only go along and pursue worldly success. Get behind me, Satan!* Our Lord strengthens us by the sound teaching of the Church about the good angels and the bad angels, the devils who prowl about seeking the ruin of souls. Anyone who makes this Truth an object of ridicule or anything truly blessed like the Rosary, holy water, relics, or sacramentals will also make the adoration of Our Lord and the veneration of Our Blessed Mother to be in the same category. Perish the thought!

Praised be Jesus Christ
Now and Forever
Fr. Jerome Charles Romanowski

* "Go behind me, Satan, because thou savorest not the things that are of God, but that are of men." Mark 8:33 & "Go behind me, Satan, thou art a scandal unto me: because thou savorest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men." Matthew 16:23

...Now with Twice the Vibrancy (and Still No Transfats)

 

Recently, St. Mary's reassessed its ministries and was delighted to find that we have not only increased our ministries but, in fact, have doubled them.  Not since the days of New Coke has something transformed itself so remarkably. 

 

Last month, at a birthday party for Fr. Romanowski and Leah, who share a September 2 birthday, we put many of our new ministries proudly on display.

 

First, our Celebration of Important Things Ministry conceived the idea.  They had already had a party for Fr. Romanowski the previous weekend (prior to his birthday), but they are a vibrant group and opted to have another party the weekend after his birthday.

 

The Outreach to the Bishop in Hopes to Convince Him to Stop his Dastardly Scheme Ministry sent invites to the Bishop and some of his friends at the Chancery.  Sadly, they did not attend, although Msgr. McGrath was kind enough to send his regrets.

 

 

Another new ministry, the Cake Delivery Ministry completed its second project of the year. 

 

Click here to see the first.

 

At the party, we also unveiled our new Cappuccino Ministry. This seems to be a staple of any vibrant parish.

 

  

Unfortunately, Charlotte burnt her finger while providing this ministry, which prompted a quick response from our Next-Best-Thing-to-Your-Mother Empathy Ministry

.

After a healthy dose of empathy, the First Aid Ministry (or in this case Second to Next-Best-Thing-to-Your-Mother Empathy Aid) sprung into action.

 

 

 

Charlotte's new at this, so our Cleanup Ministry was also involved.

 

This is just a sampling of the many new ministries we have introduced lately.  Some of our other new ministries include:

 

Ø      Picketing the Bishop Ministry

Ø      Sending Letters to Apostolic Nuncio, Etc. Ministry

Ø      Media Ministry

Ø      Website Ministry

Ø      Canon Law Appeal Ministry

Ø      Civil Law Ministry

Ø      Blogging Ministry

Ø      Fundraising for Save St. Mary's Ministry

Ø      Planning the Billboard Campaign Ministry (Coming Soon to Highways Near You) 

Ø      Planning the Vigil Campaign (ala Boston)

 

The ministries are so vibrant, it makes me wonder why we didn't start them years ago.  Oh, wait . . . that's right, BECAUSE NO ONE WAS TRYING TO STEAL, I MEAN CLOSE, OUR CHURCH BACK THEN! 

 

Not to go on about our ministries, but we also discovered from a recent Courier-Post propaganda piece that we already have many "ministries" that we didn't even know were ministries. Like the church in Richardson, TX, we also have a Bulletin Ministry.  And by the same ministry identification logic, we have a Bathroom Ministry (actually two - one for men and another for women).

We have a Warmth Ministry, although this only operates in the Winter.  In the Summer, we offer a Cooling Ministry.  We also have a Parking Ministry, which shares space with our Basketball Hoop Ministry.  I could really go on and on, but I don't like to brag - we're not perfect.  We don't have a labyrinth, after all, although we are thinking about a Corn Maze Ministry for next year. 

 

So stop by the New St. Mary's, a MegaVibrant SuperParish in the Diocese of Camden.

 

Editor's Note:  This blog entry was provided by our Sarcasm Ministry.  This new ministry will remain active throughout our Denial Stage of the Diocese of Camden's Four-Step Mourning Process.  If you don't like it, beware of the Anger Phase.

All photos copyright of St. Mary's PhotoMinistry.

Christ Condemns Compromise With Evil
The teaching of the Catholic Church is clear: we cannot compromise with the devil. The devil has forces that surround us. The celebrations that we have in the Church every day are necessary to defeat the devil.

The lie is an important part of the devil's tactics. You will be equal to God, Satan tempted Eve. Eve should have believed God, but she showed that free will is part of man's characteristic personality and she gave in to the temptation.

It's easy enough to show the opposite reaction in the threefold temptation of Our Lord in the desert. Jesus rejected pleasure, power, and fame in order to demonstrate the true happiness of unity with God. It is this faith of ours that keeps us alive in the Lord.

The Devil Deceives
During the present persecution of the Church in Camden, we have seen how the forces of evil (Satan) can entice the majority into complacency. The life of grace, which is divine life, shows through the false promises of the devil. We must be totally Committed to Our Lord through His Holy Mother. Our devotional life leads us to the love of God and therefore we give Him the honor that He deserves. Any other method of approaching God is wrong.

Our Lord & His Church are Truth
The Catholic Church has the answer to life's problems in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which shows that God chooses certain men to lead a parish in the way of Truth. Truth is the only way to live because it is the way of Jesus, Our Lord, who brings us into Heaven. Sacrificing the pleasures of this life is the way we appreciate the love of God and enjoy this presence. "Learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light," Saint Matthew 11:29-30.

Sunday we celebrated the Triumph of the True Cross, Monday the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Every day we take up our cross and find rest and peace in the cross, the Way of Salvation. That salvation is NOW--our oneness, unity with the Lord in Truth enables us to transform the face of the earth. We are chosen by the Lord to do this. Saint Paul emphasizes that there are those who are called, and that the Lord justifies and glorifies.

Last week someone handed me the "mission statements" of both the Camden Diocese and Philadelphia Archdiocese, asking me to place them both online as a means of comparison, line by line. Personally, I am not a big fan of mission statements, particularly for religious bodies. I think they are too corporate and, after all, we have creeds so I'm not entirely sure I understand the point of the mission statement. But it is definitely interesting to note the differences.

Archdiocese of Philadelphia                              Diocese of Camden
We, the faithful of the Roman Catholic                    We, the Catholic Church of South
Church in Philadelphia                                                  Jersey

in communion with our Holy Father,                       envision growing ever more into
shepherd of the universal Church, and                    dynamic community of faith,
our Archbishop, shepherd of the Church                 hope, and love wherein we reveal
in Philadelphia, proclaim to everyone                      the mind and heart of Jesus through
the Good News that Jesus Christ is                             our actions and worship.
the Light of the world, who offers to all
who follow Him the light of life.

Baptized into Christ Jesus and confirmed               Empowered by baptism, inspired
by the gift of the Holy Spirit, we desire                     by the Holy Spirit, and formed by
to share this Light with all by proclaiming               the Word of God and the sacraments,
the Gospel of forgiveness and reconciliation          especially the Eucharist, we will--
to every person.                                                                 with Jesus living in us--reach out
                                                                                                    with love:

We are one in our Church's teachings
and in the variety of gifts, services, and
ministries that we employ to help build
up the Kingdom of God. We therefore
commit ourselves to:

-worship God in spirit and truth through                  -To proclaim and teach the truths
"prayer without ceasing," and particularly                 that save,
through the celebration of the Eucharist
and the other sacraments of the Church;

-create and nourish Christian community               -To welcome back those who have
in the domestic church of the family, in                    left our family of faith,
the life of every parish, and in society
as a whole

-proclaim in word and deed the Good News           -To forgive and seek forgiveness,
of Jesus Christ to all persons, inviting each
of our sisters and brothers in the human
community to share our faith and our mission;

-teach the saving message of Christ so that             -To care for our sisters and brothers
all believers may come to deeper                                  in need,
understanding, conversion and personal
witness to Christ;

-serve all our sisters and brothers,                             -To work for peace within our families
particularly the poor and needy, by                              and communities,
generous acts of charity and by working
together with all people of good will for                   -To promote respect and justice
justice and peace.                                                                for all people,

                                                                                                   -To strengthen unity
                                                                                                   within our diversity,

We pray to the Father, Son, and Holy                      And to celebrate the sanctifying
Spirit, through the intercession of Mary,                  love of God that heals and trans-
the Immaculate Conception, to whose                    forms the world.
care the Archdiocese is consecrated,
and through Saints Peter and Paul, the                 -Most Reverend Joseph A. Galante,
Archdiocesan patron. May the Lord of                    D.D., J.C.D., Bishop of Camden
Light guide us in our earthly journey
and to our heavenly home.
                                                                                       

On Monday June 9th at 7pm there will be a special mass at St. Mary's Malaga:

Father Jerome Romanowski has invited all members of The Council of Parishes of Southern New Jersey and their friends to celebrate The Divine Liturgy (Mass) with him on Monday evening, June 9, 2008 at 7:00PM. As a united Family, we will ask God to provide guidance and wisdom to us as we continue to petition our Bishop to reconsider his errors in reconfigurations of parishes through mergers and closures.

Update!
Fr. Romanowski mentioned at mass today that the Malaga diner will have a free dinner which I believe is from 4-8, in celebration of its anniversary. So Father thought it would make for a nice evening to go to the diner for dinner, attend mass (make sure you get in your fast, though!), and then attend the meeting to follow which should prove interesting and informative.

Naples, Florida: Golf Capital of the World and Home of Bill and Mary Anne Galante's Ultra-Liberal St. John the Evangelist Church

"More holes per capita than any other community." (From Wikipedia entry on Napes, FL)

I'm referring here to golf links, of course. Naples, Florida is everything you think, and more. Half of the American Fortune 500 CEOs live in Napes, FL. Yes, little ol' Malaga, NJ: You, too, can be as authentic, spiritual, and non-materialistic as Naples, FL. Yay! Guess who lives part of the year in Napes, FL? Bishop Galante's brother and sister-in-law.

Quoting from the Philadelphia Inquirer article, which is quoting Bishop Galante:

And all he [Bishop Galante's brother] talks about is how vibrant the local parish is: the people going to Mass, the wonderful preaching, concerts with sacred music and popular music.

The vitality and community his brother has found in Florida are what he hopes South Jersey Catholics will one day encounter in the 66 parishes that will remain.

The local church his brother and sister-in-law attend, which is the model for what Bishop Galante hopes South Jersey churches will become, looks like this:

Charming, personal, quaint, and inviting, huh? And the pastor, Fr. Glackin (who in is photo doesn't even bother to wear a collar), for Mother's Day/Pentecost Sunday, quoted Erma Bombeck. Cute. Here's a link to that:
Fr. Glackin's Mother's Day Inspiration

You May Laugh, But It's A Little Scary
There are a couple of sort of humorous things on the church's site. On the RCIA website, they claim that confession is "not for the guilty." Of course, it's pretty ridiculous. It of course begs the question, if you're not guilty, then why confess? But I digress. Onto stranger things. You'll notice below (image taken from their website) that they have an image of a skinny, topless, somewhat androgynous-looking woman about to be touched by an outstretched hand. I presume this to be the primordial symbol of conversion. Kinda reminds me of an alien abduction or something, it's sort of unnerving.

 

Compared with the hefty material I will take on below, mentioning anything so minor as the music at St. John the Evangelist seems petty. Nevertheless, since the bishop wants some "vital music" injected into the South Jersey Catholic liturgical scene (read: begone traditional Catholic hymnody). I thought it would be good to include a photo of the music director of St. John the Evangelist parish. Check out his website, if you'd like to listen to some of the "vibrant music" Bishop Galante would have us integrate into our "liturgies." Paul Todd's site Mr. Todd has opened for the Pointer Sisters, Joan Rivers, the Gatlin Brothers, and others. All that and he works on a TeleTubbies-like cartoon for kids.

 

Puts us to shame over at St. May's, what with the teeny little choir loft and simple a cappella singing. The bigger the better, after all.

Pastor Promotes Group that Undermines Church Teaching
On a much more serious note, Father Glackin, pastor of St. John's, is a ringleader of the radical group, "Voice of the Faithful," Link here, which Catholic Culture assigns a "danger warning" for fidelity. Archbishop John Myers of Newark, NJ says that

VOTF...has used the current crisis in the Church as a springboard for presenting an agenda that is anti-Church and, ultimately, anti-Catholic.

(See Naples Daily News, September 19, 2003. Link here.) Glackin keeps trying to bring in speakers from Voice of the Faithful to St. John the Evangelist parish and the bishop of the Diocese of Venice keeps denying him. Instead VOTF brings speakers like the notorious Fr. Curran to a local Greek Orthodox Church. See article here. Voice of the Faithful's real goal, among many, is fairly obvious: it wants to change the character and structure of the church by "promot[ing] turning the Church into a democracy." Furthermore their conferences "feature prominent speakers who are known to support homosexuality, abortion, contraception, female priests and other dissident principles." The gist of their philosophy is to build up the laity and create an atmosphere of equality and interchangeability among the roles of the sexes and even the clergy and laity. (catholicculture.org)

Voice of the Faithful "is tied to dissident, radical, anti-Vatican groups, such as Call to Action and We Are Church, which strongly reject Catholic moral principles," according to the well regarded and orthodox catholicculture.org. Fr. Glackin, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Church in Naples, is lauded by VOTF on its website: Accollades from VOTF for Fr. Glackin. VOTF holds their monthly meetings at the Parish Life Center, so the pastor's connection with this dissident group is hardly hidden. (The meeting location is listed on the VOTF southewest Florida website.)

Parish Promotes Irreverence & Misunderstanding of the Real Presence
St.John the Evangelist Parish, which the bishop holds up as the model for Catholic churches, is a bastion of anti-Catholic and non-Catholic (well, essentially Protestant) thought. On the church website, to put it charitably, there is a very definite mixed message relayed with regard to the Real Presence, among other things. For example, kneeling during the consecration is roundly condemned as something born of fear. They claim that the early Church stood during the consecration, but provide no evidence for this assumption. From the church's RCIA program Q&A about the Eucharist (for entire article click here):

Why do people at St. Johns stand for the consecration, where at some other Catholic churches, people kneel? In the early church, people stood for the consecration as a sign of respect and joyful celebration. As the centuries progressed, people began to kneel, as a sign of sorrow and repentance, and focused so much on the Divinity of Christ that his humanity was almost forgotten. Kneeling was a sign of fear before a king. This practice still continues in some catholic churches today. But with Vatican II, the church recovered the early church's focus on joyful celebration. So, at St. John's we stand in joy rather than kneel in fear.

A little further down, the question is posed, "Who can take communion?" Here is a piece of the answer St. John the Evangelist RCIA provides potential converts:

(The church teaches that it needs to be baptized Catholics...but Christ doesn't check our ID's) Sometimes at weddings and funerals, non-Catholics may be invited to receive communion.

In other words, they come right out and say that the Church teaches one thing, but they teach another. This church actively and unabashedly flouts the teachings of the Catholic faith not only through direct affiliation with groups that undermine the faith, but also by egregiously offending Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist by allowing non-Catholic Christians to partake. They belittle those who would revere His holy presence by kneeling in adoration. It would make sense to cease kneeling if the Real Presence is not understood properly...

Most alarming of all, it is clear by reading the entry on the Eucharist that at St. John's there is a complete misunderstanding of transubstantiation. They say, "The wine is still wine, and the bread is still bread, but somehow it is also more than just bread and wine." Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that was essentially heresy. I quote the Catholic Encyclopedia here (and I'd really encourage you to read the entire entry on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist here):

That the consequence of Transubstantiation, as a conversion of the total substance, is the transition of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, is the express doctrine of the Church (Council of Trent, Sess. XIII, can. ii). Thus were condemned as contrary to faith the antiquated view of Durandus, that only the substantial form (forma substantialis) of the bread underwent conversion, while the primary matter (materia prima) remained, and, especially, Luther's doctrine of Consubstantiation, i.e. the coexistence of the substance of the bread with the true Body of Christ.

As I understand it, the Body and Blood of Our Lord maintain only the appearance of bread and wine. Again from the Catholic Encyclopedia (from this piece on consecration):

It is called transubstantiation, for in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the substance of breadand wine do not remain, but the entire substance of bread is changed into the body of Christ, and the entire substance of wine is changed into His blood, the species or outward semblance of bread and wine alone remaining.

I could go on, since there is an abundance of erronious information so readily available, but I won't. Truly frightening is the prospect that lays before us: that Bishop Galante seeks to model his new-and-improved Catholic McMegachurches after St. John the Evangelist parish, a church that so clearly propogates irreverence and error. Is this what we want the South Jersey Catholic churches to be? I don't. I want to worship God as He is, not as I wish Him to be.

A Model Church for Us Unsophisticated South Jersey Hicks
So anyhow, yes folks, this church of St. John the Evangelist is the model for what Bishop Galante sees as a "vibrant" church. I don't pretend to know what you might think of pastors who promote organizations that undermine the Faith, pop-culture references mixed into your religiosity, Yanni-esque music directors, large and impersonal McChurches, too-cool-for-you RCIA programs, hip self-improvement "confession," and "communities" that boast some of the richest people in the world. And "more holes per capita than any other community" to boot! But I for one prefer that old time religion, the faith of our fathers, "the least of these," and all that stuff. I don't want a big, fancy, modern church with larger than life "contemporary" music. I want a church that reminds me of who I am in the grand scheme of things, not a church that puts me in the center. I want a church that's real, on a human scale, leads me to God, and doesn't remind me of a country club.

The majority of the churches the bishop wants to close are authentic houses of worship with the Real Presence front and center, kneelers, and histories that predate Vatican II. They are traditional. They are characteristically Catholic, replete with the sacramentals that empower us to fight the Enemy. They are the powerhouses of prayer. And yet, according to the Inquirer article, "the scope of the closing appears to be the largest ever for any of the nation's 195 Roman Catholic dioceses." And many of the churches that stand to be closed are ones very much like St. Mary's. Should we make way for a bigger, better sort of church? A one-stop-shop like the evangelical protestants have? Will we accept compromised theology and liturgy? Or are we finally going to acknowledge that what people really want is Truth...simple and straightforward Truth, and that it's Jesus in the Holy Eucharist who offers it?

By the way, in case you want to read it, click for the Inquirer Article here

Part 1: The Origins of St. Mary's
Part 2: 1922-1939: A Mission Church of Sacred Heart Parish
Part 3: 1939-1961: A Mission Church of St. Rose of Lima Parish
Part 4: Since 1961: An Independent Parish
Epilogue: Pastor's Vision for the Future
Acknowledgments: About this history

In 1922 the Third Sunday of Advent fell on December 17, the day St. Mary's Church was dedicated. Hundreds flocked to the new church on Dutch Mill Road to hear the Mass's theme, "The Lord is near, let us be joyful." The people of Malaga were especially joyful that wintry Sunday as they witnessed the spiritual beginning of their own church.

The Solemn high Mass was celebrated with the Most Reverend Thomas Walsh, bishop of Trenton, presiding. He voiced high praise for Monsignor James Bulfin, pastor of Sacred Heart Church (seven miles away in Vineland), who directed the building of the church, and for the people of Malaga whose monetary sacrifices made it possible.

St. Mary's Early Pastors

The dedication of St. Mary's marked its beginning as a mission church under Sacred Heart. Monsignor Bulfin served as pastor of St. Mary's even though he resided in Vineland. (St. Mary's did not have its own pastor and rectory until four decades later.) Monsignor Bulfin had a passionate devotion to Catholic education. "Without the religious training of our youth," he stated on numerous occasions, "our churches would not be needed."

In 1933 illness compelled Monsignor Bulfin to forgo pastoral duties, and Father Francis Jackson inherited his superior's responsibilities. The untimely death of Father Jackson only four years later, which many attributed to the stress of Sacred Heart's Depression-era fiscal problems, was deeply felt by St. Mary's parishioners. Father William Hickey, later Monsignor Hickey, replaced Father Jackson and served as pastor of St. Mary's during its final two years as a mission church under Sacred Heart, from 1937 to 1939.

Sisters of St. Joseph

During St. Mary's early years, the Sisters of St. Joseph traveled from their convent in Vineland to Malaga to prepare the children for first Holy Communion. Mother Albertine, Sister Mary Edmond, Sister Teresa Carmel, Sister Grace Stanislaus, and Sister Mary Barnabas, like those who followed them, were devoted to teaching the Catholic faith and responsible citizenship during those Sunday afternoon sessions.

Each spring, twelve to fifteen children received the Sacrament. This was a proud moment for their parents, who were grateful to the sisters for helping them perpetuate their faith and thus fulfill the main reason for building St. Mary's. They were grateful, also, to the sisters for reinforcing their children's language skills, enabling them to participate more fully in the mainstream of American society.

Feast of the Assumption

Because St. Mary's was named for the Mother of Jesus, the Feast of the Assumption became the parish's principal celebration. The mid-August festivities resembled those of a typical Italian village; that is, a High Mass, followed by a parade to honor the community's patron saint and a public gathering featuring food, music, games and fireworks.

Parishioners blessed with long years and clear memories can still remember the festivals of the 1920s and '30s when the Associazione della Assunta, which was organized principally by Mr. Giovanni (John) DiMatteo, managed the annual event in the absence of an on-site pastor. They can still recall the sight of the statue of La Madonna (Figure 2), festooned with ribbons on which worshipers had pinned dollar bills, being hoisted to the shoulders of young men for the parade down Delsea Drive. (Traffic was no problem then.) They can recall the sound of the Red, White, and Blue Band as it marched behind La Madonna. They can recall the enticing aroma of zeppole (cruller-like fried dough) and other delicacies being readied on the church grounds for the return of hungry paraders.

Volunteer barkers urged people to "step right up" and test their strength and skill at knocking over bogus milk bottles with a baseball. (The white bottles, made of wood with metal interiors to impart stability, were arranged in a pyramid thirty feet behind a counter.) "Three balls for a nickel," the barker cried, "and one of these beautiful prizes (mainly stuffed animals) is yours!!"

Young Raynard Infante from New York City, a relative of several families in the area, impressed the local population with his Neapolitan love songs, which he sang from the gandstand in the area where St. Mary's outdoor shrines now stand. Another favorite amateur singer was Mr. Giuseppe (Joseph) Alvino, one of the church's founders, who rendered "Oh Sole Mio" with a fervor that old-timers still talk about. (Both Raynard Infante and Mr. Avino are shown in Figure 3.)

After a respite from the mid-day parade, members of the Red, White, and Blue Band took their places on the bandstand and entertained the crowd during the afternoon and evening. The music consisted of Italian melodies and patriotic songs, mostly Sousa marches. The band's electrifying "Stars and Stripes Forever" presaged the festival's finale: the fireworks.

As band members put their instruments away, firework technicians sent up aerial bombs that exploded in a cascade of color. This lured the crowd to the southern edge of the church grounds (where the rectory now stands). From that point, people could see the lighting of fireworks mounted on wooden structures on the knoll where the firehouse is now located. Fireworks at ground level, including spinning wheels and Niagara Falls, alternated with aerial displays depicting patriotic themes, such as the Statue of Liberty, the Mayflower, and the American flag (then forty-eight stars).

The fireworks (and the two-day festival) ended at about eleven o'clock with the detonation of an ear-splitting battery of explosives buried two feet below the ground--enough to destroy a small army. With the acrid smell of fireworks still hanging over the church grounds, those who came in cars and trucks sounded their horns in appreciation while others tramped home humming the songs that the Red, White, and Blue Band had played.

Bountiful Times End.

Suddenly, in 1929, St. Mary's parishioners, like all Americans, were hit with the devastating effects of the Great Depression. Cash incomes dropped as the price of produce plunged to just a few pennies more than the cost of the container in which it was shipped to market. But the Depression did not stop these energetic settlers from garnering food, fuel, and shelter for their children and their farm animals from southern New Jersey's rich, sandy loam; its red-cedar swamps; and its unspoiled, game-filled woodlands.

In addition to being innately resourceful, these sturdy men and women were capable of buoying each others' spirits during grim times. No one was more noted for this than the grandfatherly man who devoted the last eighteen years of his life to St. Mary's and the Malaga community.

St. Mary's First Custodian

Unlike most of St. Mary's early parishioners who were young, newly married immigrants, Signor Giuseppe DiMatteo (Figure 4) was an Italian widower who was seventy-three years old when the church was built in 1922. Today, some older residents can still remember Giuseppe, affectionately called "Zio Pepe" by all the children in the community, even those who were English-speaking. Giuseppe had immigrated from Campania in 1914, the year his son, Mr. Giovanni (John) DiMatteo (1879-1947), and daughter-in-law, Mrs. Antoinette Cairone DiMatteo (1887-1950), purchased the family farm on what is now West Boulevard.

Biuseppe spent his years in American on the farm, helping to rear his eleven grandchildren and working in the family vineyard. Using his pruning shears, sickle, and zappa (an Old World cultivating hoe), he nurtured the vines so they formed multitudinous, small green grapes in the spring.

As the season progressed, Giuseppe continued to coax the vines. The little grapes grew in the summer sun and matured into plump, purple fruit during the cooler, shorter days of September and October. The family made grape jelly with part of the crop, and Giuseppe would make wine with the rest.

A medium-built, muscular man, whose body belied his age, Giuseppe did more than till the vineyard; he also served as custodian of St. Mary's from its beginning until its death in 1940. The church grounds were not landscaped at the time, so Giuseppe used his sickle and heavy hoe to tame the growth outside during spring, summer, and fall. In addition, he kept the inside of the church in order.

In winter, the church was unheated during the week. Giuseppe would arrive early on Sunday to start a fire in the wood-burning furnace downstairs so that the church would be warm when the priest and worshipers showed up for the nine o'clock mass.

Giuseppe carried out most of his duties behind the scenes, except for the ringing of the bell, which he did with zeal exactly thirty minutes before Mass. Twenty minutes later, with early arrivals already in the pews, he would ring it again. During that era, St. Mary's bell was connected to a heavy rope that came down from the steeple into the church through a hole in the ceiling. (The hole in the ceiling above the choir loft is still visible.)

Standing in the main aisle below, Giuseppe would grasp the rope with both  hands and pull on it with the weight of his body. His initial efforts would cause the bell and its supporting mechanism to start swinging back and forth. The rafters would creak, and the bell would produce a soft ding. As momentum increased, the bell's hammer would strike its side more forcefully, and the dingdong of the bell would reverberate across the surrounding countryside.

For eighteen years Giuseppe summoned the populace of St. Mary's for spiritual renewal.

---

Part 1: The Origins of St. Mary's
Part 2: 1922-1939: A Mission Church of Sacred Heart Parish
Part 3: 1939-1961: A Mission Church of St. Rose of Lima Parish
Part 4: Since 1961: An Independent Parish
Epilogue: Pastor's Vision for the Future
Acknowledgments: About this history

By Lorraine Kiefer

MALAGA - A garden of love and beauty can be found where Routes 40 and 47 intercept in the small town of Malaga, where a new rosary garden is part of St. Mary's Parish.
Father Jerome Romanowski , pastor, said that the project, once a dream. became a reality through tile diligent planning and hard work of the committee and other parish helpers. The committee includes members Theresa DiMatteo. Cindy Merckx and Doris Ruppel. Several of tire parish youth can be seen working on the garden also. Donations of time and money by many parishioners and friends as well as tile spiritual guidance and inspiration of the pastor also helped make the garden a reality. St. Mary's has been designated a Jubilee church for the year 2000. This garden, part of the year's celebration, contains a statue of our Lady of the Rosary to greet all who visit, as well as a fountain and pool, several arbors, benches and plaques depicting the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries.

Read the full article on the St. Mary's website.